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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28127751">Three Clowns and a Camel Walk Into a Bar …</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/InArduisFidelis/pseuds/InArduisFidelis'>InArduisFidelis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Damascus Arc (Rusty Quill Gaming), Episode: e103 Everybody Out! (Rusty Quill Gaming), Families of Choice, Gen, Missing Scene</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:54:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,045</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28127751</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/InArduisFidelis/pseuds/InArduisFidelis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After jumping out of the carriage (for perfectly valid reasons!), the three remaining party members have some time to kill.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Azu &amp; Grizzop drik Acht Amsterdam &amp; Sasha Racket</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Yuletide 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Three Clowns and a Camel Walk Into a Bar …</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/edenfalling/gifts">Elizabeth Culmer (edenfalling)</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Yuletide!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The black carriage disappears down the hill, dust clouds billowing in its wake. Behind it, silhouetted by the mid afternoon sun, are four figures. On a camel sits a very pink orc, with a goblin perched on their shoulders. Beside them trudges a human-sized figure.</p><p>Sasha is still on a high from the carriage drive, face flushed from the excitement. “That was amazing!” she cries, gesturing wildly and almost hitting Topaz. “We were going so fast, and the way we zipped ‘round that corner and almost rolled but didn’t and then did you see that skid?! I really think I was getting the hang of the whole driving thing by the end. I wanna do that again!”</p><p>“No,” says Azu adamantly, “I am not getting in there again. Too small and too much rolling. Next time, I will be the one driving.”</p><p>Grizzop nods in agreement. Sasha sighs but doesn’t protest.</p><p>The three friends look out over the parched scrubland for several long moments as Topaz paces on towards Damascus proper. </p><p>“So,” says Azu, breaking the silence, “Is this what the whole ‘saving the world’ thing is normally like? Going undercover, fast driving and lots of travel?”</p><p>“Don’t look at me,” replies Grizzop, “I haven’t been doing this much longer than you.” By now, the wine has dried on Grizzop’s clothes and the smell of alcohol lingers around them. He wrinkles his nose. He would much rather the wine be inside him instead of covering him.</p><p>“I mean,” says Sasha, “It doesn’t sound that far off? Oh, though also stabbing. Lots of stabbing things. Like zombies. That’s important too.” She grins. </p><p>Grizzop snorts. “Well, yeah, stabbing might work, but filling someone full of arrows is just that bit more satisfying. No need to sneak if you are so far away that they can’t see you anyway.” This sets off Sasha and she and Grizzop start squabbling over the various merits of their chosen weaponry. </p><p>Though she thinks that it is rather cute at first, Azu quickly finds herself growing a little irritated by the chatter ringing in her ears. “Cut that out, will you? I will turn this camel around if I need to, and then we will never get to dinner. Bows and daggers are both equally amazing. And so is my axe. And whatever other weaponry you have. There. Sorted.”</p><p>Sasha and Grizzop grumble in protest but stop bickering. They continue to walk. </p><p>Still smarting from the horse kick earlier, Sasha quickly gives up on normal modes of transport. She scampers up Topaz and then up Azu. After a careful bit of rearranging, in which Grizzop nearly topples off twice, the trio find themselves balanced in a stack: Grizzop, Sasha, Azu, Topaz. Topaz grumbles loudly at the additional weight. </p><p>“This feels like we are in the circus!” cries Azu.</p><p>“What’s that?” asks Sasha, staring down at the adamantine dagger that has suddenly appeared in her hands and is now weaving around her knuckles. </p><p>Azu jerks her head up towards Grizzop, causing Sasha to grab hold or risk falling. </p><p>“Um,” says Grizzop, “Think … a big tent filled with some people getting tangled up in ropes and others dressed all funny and trying to fit into tiny carriages.”</p><p>“Sounds a lot like escaping the coppers to me. There was this one job a while back with five of us in a closet ....” Sasha trails off. </p><p>Azu makes a mental note to ask about this story when Sasha seems to be in more of a sharing mood. But for now, she is rather captivated by the idea of a circus troupe. “I could dazzle everyone with my axe. Sasha, you’re great at those knife tricks, you can do those. Grizzop, what about trick shots with your bow? I’m pretty sure that’s a circus thing. And maybe Hamid could use his magic to add some sparkles and explosions and make all the costumes. We’d be great! Maybe when we are finished saving the world. I want to help everyone that I can but I think fun and laughter can sometimes be better than traditional healing for that.”</p><p>Sasha sighs. “Retirement’s never really been an option for me in my line of work … well, former line of work now. But yeah. I think that sounds … nice.” Sasha frowns slightly to herself. Feeling slightly overwhelmed by the emotions in the current discussion, she pulls out a few more daggers and starts to juggle, to Grizzop’s faint concern. Every so often, the ice dagger and the fire dagger cross a little too close, letting out a burst of stream. Even with the slight scowl on her face, it is quite the sight.</p><p>Grizzop decides to join in the fun. He unsheathes his bow and takes two shots at a far away bush. It is hard to see with the current distance, but the second arrow appears to have split the first. Sasha, however, does not approve of the lower limb of the bow that is suddenly right by her face. A dagger flashes slightly too close to Grizzop’s nose and he quickly puts the bow away. He knows from experience just how sharp Sasha keeps those daggers (and, relatedly, also knows better than to startle Sasha when she is in the throes of a nightmare). </p><p>The quartet continue their slow descent down the hill, aimlessly chatting about how they could market a circus troupe and other such things. Eventually, they start to see the same black carriage working its way up the hill towards them at a fast pace.</p><p>“Hey, maybe Hamid came back for us!” says Azu. </p><p>Grizzop huffs. “He and I will be having a few … words when we meet up. He really should know better than to head off alone into unfamiliar territory. But anyway, food first!”</p><p>At this, Sasha’s stomach rumbles. Azu laughs, the shaking of her shoulders jostling her two friends perched upon her. The three friends pause as the carriage pulls to a sudden stop in front of them, bringing with it thoughts of the wider world. Though they were still on a mission of global significance, and danger was likely just around the corner, this moment in time seemed to have been important. Whatever was coming, they knew that they had each other. </p>
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